Dishwasher



c. P. STRONG July 11, 1967 DISHWASHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1965 INVENTOR,

ISF ATTORNEY-5.,

c. P. STRONG 3,3 I

July 11, 1967 DISHWASHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23, 1965 IN VENTOR.

final 2.72mi

ATTORNEYS.

C. P. STRONG July 11, 1967 DISHWASHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 23, 1965 INVENTOKa 65m 04 fiJ/m/v ioZ' ATTORNEYEG United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable dishwasher having an inclined bottom with means for supporting and rotating a removable basket in which opposed resilient dish holding means are provided to accommodate dishes of various sizes.

This invention relates to dishwashers designed and constructed for reducing the amount of labor necessary to remove food residue left after dishes are used and to wash clean and sterilize dishes for re-use, all of which is intended to be done in a shorter time and with greater ease than hand-washing of the dishes.

The invention relates particularly to a relatively small portable family type dishwasher capable of being used for washing relatively few dishes of varying sizes and which can be readily and appropriately used for small operations and can be easily transported from one place to another by a person without a great amount of effort.

Dishwashers of various sizes, types of construction and operation have been produced, but these have been large, expensive, complicated, heavy, difiicult to maintain in satisfactory operation, and also have been unsatisfactory and subject to criticism for other reasons.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, readily portable dishwasher having a basket which can be taken to the table after a meal and filled with soiled dishes of various sizes, and with a special compartment for silverware, and the basket transported as a tray from the dining area to the kitchen and placed in the receiving tub of the machine and the washing operation performed with the dishes left in the same basket to dry.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dishwashing machine composed of a tub or container for the detergent-containing washing solution and a basket for the dishes and silverware to be washed, such basket being mounted in a manner to carry the dishes and silverware alternately into and from the washing solution with such operation produced gradually by the operation of a crank, as well as a washing machine basket which can be readily taken to the dining area, filled with dishes with the bottom of the container of a character to contain crumbs and moisture so that they will not be dropped during their transportation to the washing area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dishwashing machine of maximum simplicity with a minimum number of parts resulting in the greatest usefulness and effectiveness in the washing of dishes after a family meal, as well as a dish-washer which requires a minimum of effort and skill in the use and maintenance of the same.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustration of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2, a vertical section;

FIG. 3, a top plan view of the basket;

FIG. 4, a front elevation of the machine;

FIG. 5, a section on the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6, a section on the line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7, a section on the line 77 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 8, a horizontal section of modified form of drive.

Briefly stated the dishwasher of the present invention comprises a tub or container for a solution composed of 3,330,288 Patented July 11, 1967 water and detergent with a sump and drain from the bottom of the same, and a top opening with a cover through which a dish and silverware basket can be readily inserted and removed and with means for mounting such basket in the tub so that it can have imparted thereto the necessary movement to produce the desired agitation of the solution or relative motion between the solution and the articles to be washed with such motion produced mechanically by a manual or power actuation from the exterior of the tub or container, the basket having therein holding means for maintaining the dishes and silverware in a relatively fixed position regardless of the size of the articles held, and with the washing operation serving not only to wash and clean but to sterilize the dishes as well.

With continued reference to the drawings, the dishwasher of the present invention is composed of a tub 10 having a sump 11 with a drain and overflow pipes 12 and 13 combined into a sink discharge 14. A stopper 15 is adapted to be inserted into and removed from the entrance to the drain pipe by means of an operating rod 16 and operating handle or knob 17. The tub 10 is provided with a sight opening 17 in which is installed a sight glass 18 for observation of the interior of the tub.

The tub is provided with a lid or cover 19 connected to the tub by a hinge 20, and a handle 21 serves as a means by which the cover may be raised and lowered. The cover has a water inlet pipe or spray head 22 for the connection of a water supply hose 23, and within the confines of the cover the water inlet pipe 22 is provided with a series of spray openings 24. These openings are in the upper portion of the cover so that there will be a downward spray on the'dishes and the contained liquid by the water entering through the water supply hose 23. In view of the fact that the hose 23 and hinge 20 are located in the same general area there will be no interference with the raising and lowering of the top or cover of the washer.

The tub 10 has an inclined bottom wall 25 and connecting walls 26 and 27 at right angles thereto and carried respectively by the tub and the top or cover therefor to provide an inclined article receiving chamber disposed substantially half above and half below a water level determined by the location of the upper end of the overflow pipe 13. The inclined bottom wall 25 has an opening 26 in which is located a bearing 27 containing a shaft 28 to which is fixed a beveled gear 29 driven by a beveled gear 30 fixed to a shaft 31, extending through a boss 32 in the side of the tub 10, beneath the bottom wall 25 and to the exterior. There it may have a crank 33 afiixed thereto so that when the crank is rotated the shaft 28 will be rotated.

Within the tub around the upper end of the bearing 27 is located a thrust bearing 34 against which a clutch member 35 can bear, such clutch member having an enlarged plate 36 on which is adapted to rest a clutch plate 37 which forms the central portion of the bottom 38 of a receptacle or basket for dishes 39, 40. The bottom 38 has an upturned rim 41 which serves as a reinforcement and as a tray or receptacle. This tray or receptacle is enlarged by the attachment of the free ends of U-shaped handle members 42 of which there are four equally spaced about the upturned rim 41, and by the provision of horizontally annular rails 43, welded or otherwise connected to the spaced legs of the handle members 42. Thus a receptacle is provided having an irnperforate bottom or tray portion and a series of annular rails 43.

In order to provide a receptacle for silverware a generally rectangular basket 47 may be provided with an open-work mesh 48 in its bottom and a handle 49 adapted to fit over the upper end of one of the handle members 42. In order to retain dishes 39 and 40 which vary in size in fixed relation within the washer, a pair of coiled springs 50 preferably curved from end to end are attached so that they bow toward each other and are welded or otherwise attached to the handle member 42 and rails 43. Dishes may be inserted between the opposite end of the coils as illustrated in FIG. 3. Also clips 51 likewise may be attached to the rails 43 with such clips intended to retain cups 52 or other small articles.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the cover,

lid or top 19 of the machine may be gripped by the handle i 'Whereupon the loaded basket can be inserted into the machine. Then water may be allowed to flow in through the hose 23 with a container'of detergent lodged within the basket and by rotating the basket by means of the crank 33 the dishes and silverware alternately will be carried into and from the washing solution to produce the desired agitation for the Washing operation.

If desired instead of the'crank 33, the basket may be provided with'a ring gear 53 and driven by a worm 54 from a motor 55 supplied with electric current through conductors 56 as illustrated in FIG. 8. 7

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. -A portable dishwasher comprising a tub having an inclined bottom wall and adapted to contain a cleaning liquid, means for maintaining the cleaning liquid at a predetermined level, selectively operable drain means for discharging the liquid from said tub, portions of said inclined bottom extending upwardly above said predetermined liquid level, a general dome shaped cover hingedly mounted on the upper portion of said tub, a spray head carried by said cover for introducing water under pressure into said tub, shaft means extending through said bottom wall, means for rotating said shaft means, basket supporting means connected to said shaft means within said tub and adjacent to said bottom wall, a basket removably mounted on said basket supporting means so that rotation of said shaft will rotate said basket, said basket having perforated side walls to permit passage of cleaning liquid therethrough and an imperforate bottom wall to prevent the passage of liquid when the basket is out of the tub, handle means connected to the side walls of said basket to facilitate the introduction and removal of said basket into and out of said tub, and dish holding means in said basket including opposed spaced resilient coils for receiving dishes and maintaining the same in position, whereby said basket can be removed from said tub and loaded with dishes to be cleaned and thereafter said basket is introduced into said tub and rotated while water under pressure is being introduced through said spray head to clean the dishes.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said opposed coils are non-parallel with each other to accommodate dishes of different sizes and configurations simultaneously.

3. The structure of claim 1 including a separate silverware receptacle removably attachedto said basket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,382,915 6/1921 Huggins 134153 X 2,082,004 6/1937 Hull 134140 2,641,170 6/1953 Hutchins 134-153 X 2,747,589 5/1956 Cicero 134155 X 3,127,902 4/1964 Cumming 134-113 FOREIGN PATENTS 175,360 2/1922 Great Britain.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTI-I, Primary Examiner.

R. L. BLEUTGE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PORTABLE DISHWASHER COMPRISING A TUB HAVING AN INCLINED BOTTOM WALL AND ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A CLEANING LIQUID, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE CLEANING LIQUID AT A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, SELECTIVELY OPERABLE DRAIN MEANS FOR DISCHARGING THE LIQUID FROM SAID TUB, PORTIONS OF SAID INCLINED BOTTOM EXTENDING UPWARDLY ABOVE SAID PREDETERMINED LIQUID LEVEL, A GENERAL DOME SHAPED COVER HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID TUB, A SPRAY HEAD CARRIED BY SAID COVER FOR INTRODUCING WATER UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID TUB, SHAFT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BOTTOM WALL, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT MEANS, BASKET SUPPORTING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT MEANS WITHIN SAID TUB AND ADJACENT TO SAID BOTTOM WALL, A BASKET REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASKET SUPPORTING MEANS SO THAT ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT WILL ROTATE SAID BASKET, SAID BASKET HAVING PERFORATED SIDE WALLS TO PERMIT PASSAGE OF CLEANING LIQUID THERETHROUGH AND AN IMPERFORATE BOTTOM WALL TO PREVENT THE PASSAGE OF LIQUID WHEN THE BASKET IS OUT OF THE TUB, HANDLE MEANS CONNECTED TO THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID BASKET TO FACILITATE THE INTRODUCTION AND REMOVAL OF SAID BASKET INTO AND OUT OF SAID TUB, AND DISH HOLDING MEANS IN SAID BASKET INCLUDING OPPOSED SPACED RESILIENT COILS FOR RECEIVING DISHES AND MAINTAINING THE SAME IN POSITION, WHEREBY SAID BASKET CAN BE REMOVED FROM SAID TUB AND LOADED WITH DISHES TO BE CLEANED AND THEREAFTER SAID BASKET IS INTRODUCED INTO SAID TUB AND ROTATED WHILE WATER UNDER PRESSURE IS BEING INTRODUCED THROUGH SAID SPRAY HEAD TO CLEAN THE DISHES. 